Glare-preventing attachment for automobile headlights



May 20 1924. 1,494,490

- L.$.LARSEN v GLARE PREVENTING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHTS Filed Sent. 19. 1923. Sheets-Shea 1 Larsiiarsezz May 20. 1924- L, S. LARSEN GLARE PREVENTING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHTS Filed Sent. 19. 1923 2 Sheena-Sheet 2 attorney J Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED STATES mas s. LAZBSEN, or ST. PAUL, mnnasora GLARE-PREVENTING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHTS.

Application filed September 19, 1923.. Serial No. 663,642.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I LABS S. LARsEN, a citizen of the United tates, residin at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and tate of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glare-Preventing Attachments for Automobile Headlights, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a glare prevent-- ing attachment for automobile headlights and it has for its object to provide adjustable reflecting elements mounted directly upon the casing of the headlights in such manner that the light rays may be confined to just the desired extent and in such mannor that the driver of an oncoming vehicle will not be blinded or dazzled by such light rays. It is a well known fact that a large proportion of the serious automobile accidents are caused by the dazzling or blinding of the driver of the vehicle by the headlights of another machine. It is therefore.

a primary object of thepresent invention to Provide means for preventing these a'ccidents, said means being of such a nature that they will not be subject to excessive rattling and will not be likely to get out of order.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel ray deflector adapted to be mounted in the usual reflector of the headlight and acting to direct the rays-upon the adjustable reflecting elements 1n such manner that the latterma'y thereafter reflect them downwardly upon the roadbed as hereinafter described.

Further objects and advanta es of the invention will be set forth in t e detailed description which follows.

In the accompanyingdrawings: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a headlight provided with my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation upon a reduced scale;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a lamp provided with my improved ray deflector in conjunction with the adjustable reflectors;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 'is a perspective view of the ray defiector.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

In the drawings 5 designates the. casing of a conventional headlight of the parabolic type. In carrying out the invention provide a plurality of reflecting shields. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated a top shield 6 and a pair of side shields 7 and 8. These shields are hinged to the casing 5 at 9, 10and 11. The

shields may be made of metal and nickel plated to render them highly reflecting or they may be of mirror-like material. The particular construction of these shields is immaterial, it only being necessary, in order to secure the desired'results, to provide shields which will catch the rays which would ordinarily 'be'directed upwardly and laterally and divergent from the axis'of thev headlights and direct them straight ahead and'below the line of vision of the driver of an oncoming automobile. Many ways may be provided for holding these shields in adjusted position. However, it .is essential that the means provided be such as to rigidly support the shields against excessive rattling andwith this end in view I have provided rods 12 which are hinged at their rear ends between cars 13 of the lamp casing and the forward portions of which slide through trunnion blocks 14 which are pivoted between ears 15 of the. several Screws 16 bind these rods in ad shields. justed position and consequently hold the shields" in the particular position to which they may be adjusted.

I further contemplate using a deflector such as is illustrated in Figs. 4:, 5 and 6 of the drawin in conjunction with the reflectors, thoug it .is to be understood that the reflectors may be used without the deflector and advantageous results secured. This deflector comprises a web 20 carrying a substantially conical member 21 at its central portion and an inclined curved web 22 at its top side. The. rear portion of the web inclined upwardly or outwardly to such'an shields will, in turn, act to direct these rays downwardly at such an angle that they'will strike the roadbed a comparatively short distance ahead of the vehicle and thus be prevented from dazzling an oncoming driver.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an attachment for automobile headlights comprising a plurality of independently adjustable screens and reflectors which serve to confine the light. rays and to direct these light rays ahead at just the angle desired.

Thus all of the light is conserved and d rected upon the road at the place where t will serve the most useful purpose in illumlnating the roadway. for the driver, while at the same time drivers of approaching vehicles are not subjected to annoyance and dangerous glare.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. The combination with a headlight of a plurality of reflectors hinged at their rear ends to the casing of the headlight wholly outside of the diameter of the headlight and projecting forwardly beyond the front edge of said headlight, rods hinged to the casmg of the lamp, pivoted trunnion blocks upon the reflectors through which said rods slide and means for binding saidrods into engagement with said trunnion blocks.

2. The combination with a lamp comprisin a reflector and a source of light, a plura it of reflecting shields projecting forwar ly therefrom outside of the diameter of the lamp and a ray deflector adjacent the source of light to intercept those rays which would normally pass substantially straight forward from the source of light and directing those rays outwardly upon said shield. 3.. The combination with a lamp, its re- 5 flector and light bulb, of a ray deflector comprising a transverse horizontal web, a substantially conical member centrally disposed with respect to said web and a curved inclined web carried by the first named web and of much greater are than said conical member in combination with reflecting shields upon which the light passing for wardly from said deflector impinges.

4. The combination with a lamp, its reflector and light bulb, of a ray deflector comprising a transverse horizontal web, a hollow conical member open at both ends and centrally disposed both laterally and vertically with respect to said web and having itslargest end disposed outwardly and a curved inclined web carried by the first named web lying wholly thereabove of much greater arc than said conical member and having its part of greatest diameter disposed 7 outwardly, the first named web being cut away at its rear side for the reception of a light bulb.

5. A structure as recited in claim 4 in combination 'with reflecting shields disposed 7 wholly outside of the diameter of the lamp by which the reflector is carried, said reflectors serving to direct light rays from the light bulb upon said shields.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alhx my 8 signature.

LARS S. LARSEN. 

